Selective indicating mechanism



May 24, 1932. F. N. LINSTOW ET AL 9 9 5 SELECTIVE INDICATING MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1932- I F-'."N. LINSTOW ET AL 1,860,191

SELECTIVE INDICATING MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 1932- F. N. LINSTOW ET AL 1,860,191

SELECTIVE INDI CATING MECHANI SM Filed May 5, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 24, 1932 i MEN DIV-TYNE,

HEBBUR-N-QN-TYNE; ENGLAND, A'corarnn -or GREAT BRITAIN,

SELECTIVE rnnron'rrn e MECHANISM Application filed Magi 5, 193$,Seria1 n9. 449,991, and'in Great Britain June '1', 1529.

This invention relates to indicating mechanlsm 'for giving selective" indications and although not limited theretoi is moreespew cially applicable to indicating mechanism forming part of a remote control system for a number of switches or other apparatus at an electric substation j Theindicating m'echanismi according to the invention comprises a series of stationa ary indicators arranged around the circume ference of a circle, an actuator common to i all the indicators and having amovable actuating member, means for rotating the actuator through'a series of positions in each of which the actuatingmember cooperates with an indicator, and means for operating the actuator in each selected position whereby the actuating member sets the selected indicator in accordance with the condition to be indicated.

When the indicating mechanism is used for glvmg selective indicat ons of the condition of a number of apparatus one 1nd1- V cator is provided corresponding tozeach ap paratus and means are provided foriassociatingthe actuator with the apparatus corresponding to a selected indicator whereby the actuating member operates to setthe in- I dicator in accordance withthe condition of the corresponding apparatus.

Preferably the movement of the actuator to a selectedposition causes the establishment of an operative connection between theactuating member and the selected indicator, the operation of the actuator then causing the indicator to move to its indicating p0? sition in which itremains when the actuator moves to theneXt-selected position. Each indicator conveniently has two indicating po-' sitions and an intermediate neutral position,

the movement of the actuator into a selected,

position causing the selected indicator to be brought into lts intermediate neutral posi- 7 tion prior to the operation of the actuating member.

Conveniently a pin is provided oneach indicator so that as the actuating jmember is moved into a selected position, the pin on the selected indicator engages in a'shape'd slot or groovein the actuating member: so

,6 and 7,,

as toprovide an, operative connection be-i l tweenthe indicator and thememberr In a preferred arrangement the actuating armature of an electromagnet constituting the bracket matting movable against the action: of a spring in one direction orthe other ilTfl-CCOrdfiIlCQWlth the condition to be indicated.

ENGLAND, "ASSIGNOR-S TO A REYROLLE- COMPANY LIMITED, OI

member is pivotallymounted on a rotatable i bracket and is operatively connected to the 55" the actuator, the armature beingcarri-ed by Conveniently the indicators are arranged indicators and one or more lamps, whereby luminous indications are, visible through the,

windows; Preferably each indicator com .prises a translucent member rotatably mounted directly behind itswindow in the panel and bearing suitable indicating-markings;

A preferred arrangement of selective indicatingmechanism according to the invention will now be described,by wayof example with reference to the accompanying drawings,inwhichr j Figure 1 shows a back view of the indicating panel with the indicating mechanism removed, i s

Figure 2 shows a side, elevation, in section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, of the panel and indicating mechanism, only two indicators beingshownfor the-sake ofclearness,

Figure3 shows a modified form of'indi cator,

' Figure 4 isa back elevation, on anienlarged scale, of the actuator showing one indicator,

Figure'5 is a viewof part ofthe actuator and indicator-lookingin the direction of. the I arrows 55, Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 4 shotv- I f h actuator mone of ltsoperative posl- Y "131011 i ing the Figure 7 shows part of the actuator its other operative position, and

of an indicator, viewed from the front of ow fi Figures 4a, 6a and 7 a show-the positions the, panel, ;corresponding; respectively to the positions of the actuator shown in :Figurest,

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a main indiarranged so that one indicator is mounted behind each window.

.In' order that the indicators may. be illu- ",ext-ension' D acts as the indicating bar on the disc and the window A is provi'dedwltli a minated from the chamber formedjbetween the bac-k'of the panel A and the framefB, each indicator consists of a disc Cof glass having a cone-shaped back C with a ground surface. The; disc C is mounted in a metal ring D connected by an arm D 'to a spindle D mounted in tliebearing block B The arm D is shaped so that the disc 0 andthe spindle I) are coaxial, and rotation of the ures 4a, 6a andm.

spindle causes the window A disc to rotate behind 3 its f Indications are providedby comparing the positions of a red A mounted in aring A 1 in the window A so thatit can be rotated and set by hand, and a straight bar C painted on the front of the disc C. The rod A and bar C are shown in various positions in Fig-- and the rodA are painted in contrasting col ours; such as red and black, and the bar is wider than the rod A so that'when they are in line (Figure 7a) the rod, which maybe black; appears-flanked by two --narrow red lines,- whilst in other cases (Figures 4a and 6a) a black-and red cross, will be visible; In

practice a mimic-diagram, showingthe circuits associated with the switches or other 3 apparatus,-the condition of which is indicat- .beforethey are carried out and a comparison to be made between theswitching conditions which actuallyexist andthose-which are'de- 'sire'd. "The operator first turns the appropri aterodAL to indicate the proposed change so. that the difference between the desired conditions and the actual conditions is clearly indicatedfby a red and black cross, as shown in Figure 6a; As soon astheiswitch is operated' this cross disappears and the indication gi'ven consists of a black bar flanked by red linesas indicated in Figure 7a; Any change which takes'place," such for example as the.

automatic tripping out 'of, a i circuit-breaker,'

' isiminediately and clearly indicated bythe appearance of across on thejpanel. It will be appreciated that the hand-operated indiqoator bars A "ensurethat a cross appearsat andthus anoperators attention is more posif the appropriate window whenever thereuis a difference between thede'sired and the actual conditionof an indicated piece ofapparatus Preferably the bar C tively directed to such difierence' than it i on the indicator-spindle D The end of the, i

glass front A" having a narrow bar A paint ed thereon and mounted in a rotatable A soithat it can be set by hand. i 1

In order toinake the indicators visible from adistancethe chamber between the panel A and the frame is illuminated'by fourlamps" 1E mounted on brackets E arranged round the chamber. Thus, the indicators, as they are made of glass having a ground back sur ring I face (or in the case of the indicators shown iinFigure 8 a ground front surface) will appear from the front of the panel as luminous I discs on which the straight bar markings are easilyvisible. Preferably. the back of the panelfA and the front ,of the'frarne B are painted white or have polished plated surfaces of nickel, chromium or other suitable "metal so as to increase the lighting effect.

7 Each indicator spindle D projects at the back of the frame'Band has fixed theretoa crank F carrying a pin F which is engaged, as will be desoribedlater, byan actuator when it is desired to operate the indicator. In order that the indicatormay be retained ina set position part .of the" hub F of the crank is provided with flattened surfaces for check 7 ure 4;) the other ends of which are fixed by a nut'and bolt G to the frame G The flattened surfaces are arranged so that the indicators can be retained set by the springs in oneor other-of two operative positions at P on at 45 to the operative positions. v r I i leaf springs G (mostclearly, shown in Figright angles-to one another or in an interme-V Y diate neutral 1 A'common actuator for'all theindicators 1 (shown in detail in'Figures 4;, 5, 6 and 7) isf mounted on a shaft H supportedin bearings, is of which only the bearing B on the frame B is shown, so that its axis is, inline with the center of the circleqaround which the indicators are disposed. This actuator com: prises a .bra'c'ket J carrying at onefend two actuator coils K and K which operate on a common armature pivotedon the shaft H r so that it canbe moved to one or other of which of-the coils is energized. The arma- 6, is provided with atongueL enga'gecl by check'lea'f springs Mpfixed by screwsiMt' to two operative positions dependingfuip'on the bracket, so as to bias the armature to a I central neutral position as shown in Figure 4.

A plate N havinga shaped slot N isfastened by screwsN to the other end of the bracketand is formed as shown most clearly in Figure 5. The slot N is shapedwitha wideopeningso that when an indicator is 1n one of its operative positions andthe shaft 7 H rotates the actuator in the direction of the figure, that the rod A has beenset in the horizontal position. It will be appreciated that since each indicator is brought into a neutral'position by the rotation of the act-uator before the energization thereof, an indicator must be positively operated by the en If an indicator were notreset tothe neutral position it could remain in one of its indicating positions folergization of the actuator.

lowing engagement with the actuator when it should have been moved to the other posi tion but is not so moved owing to faulty o-per-" Movement of each in-v ation of the actuator. dicator to the neutral position before the energization of the actuator thus prevents a falseindication being given since failure of the actuator to operate'leaves the indicator in the neutral position and thereby pro-. vides an indication of such failure-without giving an incorrect indication of the condi-l tion of the associated apparatus. y a

A plate 0 is pivoted vto the plate N at O and is formed with a shaped slot 0 which is similar to the slot N in the plate N and also engages the pin F of each indicator crank as the bracket is rotated. The fined .plateN and the pivoted plate 0 are arranged so that the slot N of the fixed plate engages the pin F of an indicator before theslot O of the plate 0 and so. that when theactuator has moved into the selected position as shown in Figure 4 the pin F of the selected indicator. is clear of the slot N in the fixed plate 1N but remains in the narrow portion of the slot O of the pivoted plate 0. The plate Ois' connected to the armature L by links P and P arranged so that movement'of the armature efiects acorrespo nding movement of the plate 0 in one directionor the other about its pivot 0 The energizing circuits of the actuator coils K and K are arranged .so that as the actuator is rotated by the'shaft H these coils are;

deenerg zed prior to the movement of the actuator into a selected position.- Thus theiarmature L and therefore the plate O and its slotgare in the neutral position-when the actuator moves into engagement with a sc lected indicator, which is also moved "into the neutral position by the'slot N of the fixed plate-N. ip I Vtlith the actuatorinthe selected. position a' selected. apparatus or the like of which condition it is desiredto retain an indication. .Energization of the actuator 0011 1K moves thepivoted plate 0 into the position shown 1n Figure-6 and-theindicator discinto the poone or otherof the (coils K, K 'can been- I ergized in accordance with the condition of sitio'nshown in Figure 6a, While the. energi zation of the coilK of the actuator'moves the pivoted plate G into the position shown in Figure 7 and .the'indicator disc into the position shown in Figure 7a; In either case i the pivoted plate 0 moves to carry with it theindicator pinF and thus rotate th'e'crank F against the Mamet the leaf springsct fromgthe neutral position asshown in; F ig-'g ure 4 through an angle of 45 to the open ative' position corresponding to the position of the armature L.

.T' he energizing' cirouitsfor the coils'K, K

may be arranged so that a con which is ener:

gizedwhen the 'actuator is'in a selected position is not deenergized untilafter theYactuatorhas started rotatingandtheslot O has moved clear of the pin- F Thus when the actuator is rotated to the next selctedposhtion the indicator is left in its set position and'reinains in this position until the actua} tor has been rotated through a a complete revo lution'to engage thelsame indicator again.

' Alternativelytheactuator coil may be'deen-' erg ized before the actuator is'moved, in

which case the leaf springsGr are made' appreciably stronger thanthei leaf springs M which bias the armature Iito "the neutral position. Hence the indicate; will-loe retained in its'operative'indicating position by the springsG and the springsM will not act to return the armature L toits neutral posi tion until the slot O of the plate O- has been moved clear'ofthe pin F ofthe indicator by. 7

further rotation of the actuator.

, The actuator coils are. energized through slip rin'gs'R, R R carried by the shaft H and any convenient means nay be provided for insuring that, the actuator'moves into a selected p'os1tion,' the coilsK, K are deenaiidthe indicator pin F." Fre'ferably theop} station of the actuator isfcontrolled by a rotary selector (notshown) mounted either directly on or positively "geared tothe shaft H. The selector "may have step-by-step movementsimparted to'it either hand or; automatically; any si'iitable form of locking device being provided to ensure thatflit loo-" I cupies in; turn its correct steppedpositions and the selector. may be. employed tocentrel v a 130 1 he ss ati n Q th=fi at9t eei sbw h,

fer'gized-be'fore the engagement of the slot' O;

- .the apparatus corresponding to a selectedin ented August'25, 1931, in the names of-Bruce the substation.

. the transmission of a currentoverpilot wires tothevsubstatlon which causes theselector thereat tov be move from one operative posi I I dicator.

This indicating mechanism is particularly suitable for use with a'remote control system for a number of switches or other apparatus at anelectric substation such for exampleas thatjof the kind described in the specification 'of the U. S. Patent No. 1,820,354,; pat- Hamer Leeson and Otis Carter F ormby King, In this arrangement'a; rotary selector is provided at the control station; and at The actuation of a selecting hand switch at the control station causes the selector thereat to make a forward vmove ment equal .to half the distance between successive operating positions or steps. The V selector or its operating mechanism controls tion to thenext and thecoinpletion-of this movement causes a release current to be transmite'd to the controlstatlonj The controlstation. selectorrhas meanwhile been maintained: locked in its half-notch position and the release current (or more strictlythet cessation of such release current) acts to unlock the apparatus and to cause theselector to complete its forward movement to the next position; c v

The indicating mechanism of the present invention can thus be arranged so.v that the actuator is mounted on the shaft ot the se'lec V 5 tor at the control station and contacts on the selector (orcontacts operatedby. the. selector actuating mechanism) can be arranged so that the-actuator coils K, K are deenergized' at' the timewhen or shortly b'efore the selector reaches the half-notch position. The substation'selector is arranged toflassociate the actuator coils ;K,K with the apparatus at the substation corresponding to the selected indicator over pilot wiresextending between j the two stations so that one orrother of the :in accordance with the condition of such ape Jrangement described in the specification accompanying the applicationforLetters Patent of the United StatesSerial-No. 449,968, filed May 5, 1930, thenames of Bruce Hamer LeesomWilliam Anderson, and Douglas Edward .Lambert, and also Serial No. 544,562, filed Junef5, 1931, as a divisional apa plication from Serial No. 449,968, andin ly controlled by contacts on the this case the actuator circuits are convenient A conjunction with aremote or other electric control; system a-mimicfdiagramrepresentw controlling drums which drive the selectors. I Whenthjeindicating mechanismis usedjin tive of the circuits and apparatus, the Iconditions of which the indicators record, may be reproduced on the frontjfof the panel so that the bars .on..the indicators formfpart off'the diagram. Thus, as shown, forexample, 1n :dotted lines in Fi ure 1 the indicators are employed'to give an indicationiof the .posi-. tion ofthe.=circuit-breakersin a system of radial feed-ers,so that, according. as a circuitbreaker is closed or open, the bar of thecorresponding indicatordisc' is in line with or at right angles to the diagrammatic'circuit on the frontiof thejpanel (Figuresfiaan-d 7a) It willbe appreciated. that the above description is by 'wayjoi example only and that 'modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the indicating mechanism within the. scope of the lIlVGlltlOIl;

. What weclaim as our lnvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2-. I L

, 1. Inselective indicating'mechanism, -the combination of a series of indicators-arranged around the circumference of a clrcle, each mdicatorhaving two indicating positions and an intermediate neutral position, an operat 7 ing, crank for each indicator, a 'pinon the', crank, a rotatable bracket, an actuating member having a shaped slot pivotally mounted Y on the bracket, an electromagnet carried on the bracket, an armature therefor pivoted tothe bracket so that it can be moved in either direction froma central'position when the electromagnet is-energized in accordance with V a condition to be indicated,spring means for 6 biassing the armature to'the' central position,

an operative connection between the arma'a tureand the actuating member, a'driving shaft for rotating the bracket through a series of positions in each of which the pin on the crankof an indicatorfengages: in the slot of the actuating'memberso as to form anopera- 1311719.: connection between the indicator and said member whereby the indicator is'moved into the indicating positlon corresponding to the directionof movement ofthe armature, and meansi'or movmg an indicator into the neutral position operated by the bracket as it moves-into the position in which the pin of the indicator engages in the slot ofthe actuating member.

2. In selective indicatingmechanism, the

around the circumference of a circle, "each combination of a series of indicatorsarranged v indicator having twoindicating positions and an intermediate neutral position, an'operatf ing crank for each indicator, a" pin on the cran k, a rotatablebracket;an actuating me'm ber having. a shaped slot pivotallymounted on the bracket, an electromagnet carried n the bracket, an armature therefor pivoted'to the 'bracke't so' that can be moved in either,

direction troma central positionwhen the electroma'gnet is energized in'accordance'with I a cond tion to be indlcatechspring means for T .biassing the armature to-the central position,*.

position when the bracket an operative connection between the armature and the actuating member, a driving shaft for [rotating the bracket through a series of selected positions in each of which the pin onthe-bracket is rotated to the next selected position.

combination of a series of indicators arranged around the circumference of a circle, each indicator having two indicating positions and an in ermediate neutral position, a rotatable bracket, an electromag'net carried 7 on the bracket, an armature for the electromagnet,

'anactuating member pivoted to the bracket, an operative connection between the armature and the actuating member, a driving shaft for rotating the bracket through a series of selected positions in eachof which the actuating member cooperates With an indicator,

means whereby each indicator is moved into the neutral position as the bracket'is rotated into the selected position in which the actuating member cooperates with the indicator,

means for operatively connecting the actuating member to each indicator rendered effective by movement of the'bracket into the selected position, whereby energization of the electromagnet in each position of the bracket causes the actuating member to set the indicator in anindicating position in accordance with the condition to be indicated, and means for retaining each indicator in its indicating next selected position.

v r a. In selective indicating mechanism, the.

combination of a series of indicators arranged 7 around the circumference of a circle, each indicator having two indicating positions and an intermediate neutral position, an operating crank for each indicator, a pin on'the crank, a rotatable bracket, anelectromagnet carried on the bracket, an armature for the electromagnet, an'actuating member pivoted to the bracket, an operativepconnection between the armatureand the actuating memher, a driving shaft for rotating the bracket 3,111 selective indicating mechanism, the

is moved to the, i

into the neutral position as the bracket is v I Q rotated into a selected position, and means. I for 'operatively connecting the actuating member to each indicator rendered efi'ective' by movement of-the bracketinto the selected position whereby energization of the electro-i m'agnetineach position of the bracket causes the actuating member to set the indicator in an indicating position inaccordance with v the condition to be indicated." T V In testimony whereof we have signed names to this specification." I

FREDERIK'NORMAN LINSTOW. WILLIAM' ANDERSON.

our

through a series. of selected positions in each f of which the actuating member cooperates with an indicator, a guide member mounted on the bracket and having a slotso shaped that the pin of the crank of each indicatorem gages in the slot and the indicator is moved 

